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Wizard of Oz Inner circle Most people wish I didn't have 5169 Posts 
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I'm coming up dry in my search on The Cafe for previous threads on this film https://silentfilm.org/haxan-witchcraft-through-the-ages/ , so please forgive me if I'm just going on. Just wondering if this silent film, Häxan, offers us any fodder for storytelling? The film was seemingly evolutionary, and the making of it somewhat captivating as well. Anything here for a film-based routine?
Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain.
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Joshua J Inner circle 1078 Posts
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It's a long time since I watched it. I think it's out of copyright now. Vague memories of the imagery being unsettling.
https://youtu.be/Jl6NvqUM5IM?feature=shared |
George Ledo Magic Café Columnist SF Bay Area 3045 Posts
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Geez, I would think there's lots of fodder there. From the subject matter itself, to when it was made, to how people thought back then vs. now. Yeah.
That's our departed buddy Burt, aka The Great Burtini, doing his famous Cups and Mice routine
www.georgefledo.net Latest column: "Sorry about the photos in my posts here" |
Intrepid Inner circle Silver Spring, MD 1186 Posts
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Quote:
On Apr 29, 2024, Wizard of Oz wrote: Saw that years ago, but don't remember much about it. Curious how you planned to spin this into a routine. Sounds interesting.
Bob
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papalazarou Regular user 156 Posts
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I have narrated Haxan several times when we screened it in the cinema - with live musical accompaniment. It is one of my favourite films of all time. It has such a beautifully creepy atmosphere - incredible use of stop - motion animation (for 1922) and perhaps most unsettling of all - the director himself Benjamin Christensen depicting a very sinister incarnation of the Devil. It would certainly be a great jumping off point for a routine. A haunted item perhaps, screen used in the film. There is a great section where an old witch has various hallucinations after drinking a brew and a ton of coins appear to come alive, move and dance about. Also routines that demonstrate some sort of pact with Satan would work well in relation to the film. Perhaps Christensen himself was in league… and some of the demon cameos in the film are NOT just special effects…
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Wizard of Oz Inner circle Most people wish I didn't have 5169 Posts
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Quote:
On May 2, 2024, papalazarou wrote: Wow! This was an unexpected contribution. Thank you papalazarou! So far, you are the resident expert on this topic (I know I'm not). Thank you for the excellent ideas.
Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain.
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papalazarou Regular user 156 Posts
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You are welcome. The first half of the film with its faux documentary style is full of ancient arcana, diagrams and old mechanical devices depicting a Bosch like Hell full of devils and torture.
But I think a routine could definitely lie in creating a back story for perhaps the inherent “cursed” nature of the film. Couch it in a “Ring” like conceit that if you watch any of it bad luck ensues. You could devise a controlled experiment scenario that demonstrates the curse and show a volunteer a clip of the film (perhaps the witches Sabbat section) and then proceed to force various tarot or bad luck to “prove” they have been Affected… you would have to create a lifting ritual - so they don’t leave thinking they are forever bewitched! |
Posted: Apr 30, 2024 12:57 am 